I don't see that. Being one of the new Members, I would like to see some numbers. I am sure the people in Ulukhaktok and Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk were pleased to hear my colleague from Range Lake say the cost of living is going to be reduced throughout the Northwest Territories if we build that bridge across the Mackenzie. I am sure they were pleased to hear that. They talk about four weeks where they go without avocados.

In some of the marine communities, they have a four-week window to get their avocados.

They have to stockpile everything and by the time they get to it, the best before date expired 10 months ago.

Anyway, I just want to stand up, Mr. Speaker, and say I do support this motion. There is nowhere in this motion that says don't build a bridge and it's harder for some of the Members from outside of the region, outside of Yellowknife, to support a project like this. We are not saying we don't want to see the bridge built. All we are saying is just show us some information. I will be happy with that. That's all we are asking. We aren't saying don't build a bridge. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. To the motion, as amended. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. I will go to the mover of the motion for closing remarks. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my colleagues for their support, those that are willing to support the motion. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I will try to keep this brief, but the project has changed and some Members in their arguments are jumping to the fact that this project was discussed. It was discussed four years ago in committee meetings. I attended these committee meetings as a city councillor. That was four years ago, Mr. Speaker. Information has changed. The project has gone from $70 million to $130 million plus.

The other thing that has changed, Mr. Speaker, if I could, and hopefully some people could understand this, is the bridge project was going to have the ferry operation money, in addition to that the ice crossing maintenance money, which was about $1.5 million. That plus the tolls was going to pay for this piece of infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, that has changed. The Premier has admitted it has changed. In addition that money, colleagues, those that are paying attention...

---Applause

---Laughter

In addition to that, the government wants to come back and top that up with at least $2 million more of public money. When has this Assembly, Mr. Speaker...Mr. Speaker, if I could...When has this Assembly had a debate on that $2 million plus dollars that is going to go into that project? When?

---Interjection

We have not had that discussion. Mr. Speaker, to me, that's the fundamental argument here, absolutely. I knocked on doors during the last campaign, not one person when I knocked on their door said build a bridge. The main concern out there in Yellowknife and in our communities is the cost of living, the cost of living.

---Interjection

Okay, well hey. Some Members are saying we need a bridge, but nobody in government has proven that if we build a bridge, the cost of living is going to go down. My main concern, Mr. Speaker, from my constituents, the city of Yellowknife, the Tlicho communities and the Akaitcho communities, is that the cost of living by building this bridge is going to go up. If you think otherwise, I think you are fooling yourselves, Mr. Speaker. That is the main thing.

---Interjection

You know what? Before we go blindly into a project, Mr. Speaker, before we jump there and we go there, prove to me and prove to this House, government, that the cost of living in my community and the other communities here will not go up. You have not done that. That has not happened. I can't see how building a bridge and charging tolls and who knows what the tolls are going to be, Mr. Speaker. They are at $6; they are going to go up with inflation. Who knows? That cost is passed on to consumers, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if I could, some of my colleagues seem to think money does grow on trees here in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, it doesn't. We have scarce resources. The Premier negotiates a new formula financing agreement and the first thing he does is run out and try to find a project to spend $2 million plus a year on. How is that being fiscally responsible? I stand here before my colleagues and I am trying my best and I ran on a platform of being fiscally responsible and it means something to me. It does. I am not going to give carte blanche to a project where I don't know what the final numbers are. I have no idea. I have no idea what the tolls are going to be. I have no idea what it's going to mean to my constituents. How can I unequivocally support a project like that? How can I do that? I can't do that. I couldn't go out this October and knock on doors in my riding having done something like that, Mr. Speaker. To me, that's not a responsible thing to do.

Oh yes, September. Sorry, Mr. Speaker, September. Again, I want to thank the Members that are supporting this motion and I am going to ask for a recorded vote, Mr. Speaker.

In closing this out, this does not say do not build a bridge. All it says is please, please, please give us the information before you...

Before any agreement is entered into, please let the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories know what you are doing. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member is requesting a recorded vote. All those in favour to the amended motion, please stand.